No.13 2005

New Centre Leader
Dr Jim Cooke
Dr Jim Cooke is the new leader of the National Centre for Water Resources.
Jim is a water quality scientist and has led research on non-point-source runoff from pastures, nitrogen cycling and transformations in streams, and nutrient renovation in natural wetlands. Over the last decade, Jim’s focus has been on applications of NIWA’s research through interactions with clients. He has led a large number of consultancy projects, particularly in areas relating to water supply, wastewater treatment, and assessments of environmental effects.

Surprise: logging can be good for water quality
Many of the lakes in the central North Island are suffering from increased algal growth and reduced water clarity.

Water resources outlook (September - November)
The following soil moisture levels & river flows are likely:
East of the South Island
Below normal soil moisture levels and river flows
Elsewhere
Normal river flows and soil moisture levels

Water resources review (April - June)
River flows
River flows in winter 2005 were below normal throughout most of New Zealand, including the lowest winter flows on record for some rivers in Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago.

Quicker, easier, more versatile
Measuring the Waikato River at Huntly. The ADCP is mounted mid-way down the side of the jet boat.
Acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) are transforming the way we gauge the flow of rivers.
Essentially, ADCPS are very sophisticated echo-sounders that measure not just depth, but the water velocities and the velocity at which the instrument itself moves across the bed.
All the paraphernalia of the past – width measurement lines, current meters, sounding weights – are redundant, and the difficulties of working from bridges are history.